Josiah was the last righteous king of Judah before the Jews were taken into captivity by the Babylonians. Of him the Bible states: "And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him (2Kings 23:25). This testimony is given concerning one who lived for God in a time of great wickedness. Certainly Josiah is a witness to us. We do not have to go the way of the world, but can live for God in any time. Are you living your life fully for God?
Upon returning from my trip last week, I found myself to be unusually tired. I had lost enough sleep and stayed on the go so much that I felt worn out. Biblically speaking, I was weary. Even the young men will become weary at times (Isaiah 40:30). I find it comforting to know that even Jesus was "wearied with his journey" (John 4:6). To be weary means to need rest and refreshment (Isaiah 28:12). Weariness is often connected to fainting; that is, to falling out of the race. There is where the real danger comes. I thank the Lord that He gave me a good night's rest last night and I am beginning to feel refreshed again. Isaiah 40:31 truly says, "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."
One of the American political slogans used by Herbert Hoover in the 1932 presidential campaign was a promise of "a chicken in every pot." This was used against him since it was promised during the time of the Great Depression. It originally came from the promise of the French King Henry IV made at the time of his crowning in 1589: "that every peasant will have a chicken in his pot on Sunday." As in the case of Hoover, Henry could not deliver on his promise and was assassinated in 1610. How much better is the Lord's promise of a future time when "every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of hosts" (Zechariah 14:21).
I praise the Lord God as the source of rest for the weary! We are commanded: "Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him" (Psalm 37:7). The destination of the obedient believer is to enter into His rest (Psalm 95:11). The blessed Saviour Jesus Christ tells us to take His yoke on us and learn of Him in order to find rest for our souls (Matthew 11:28-29). This rest is offered not only to the Jewish nation, but also to the Gentiles; and we will all find that "his rest shall be glorious" (Isaiah 11:10). When we trust in the Lord, we enter into that rest for our souls by ceasing to seek entrance into heaven by our own works (Hebrews 4:10). But, there "remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God" (Hebrews 4:9). One day, we will enter into that glorious rest. I can rest in my Lord. He gives rest to my soul and will bring me one day into His glorious, heavenly rest. What a Lord and Saviour we have!
Have you heard about the mosque in Ohio that was attacked by a group of Pentecostals because the imam was unfavorably comparing the Bible to the Quran? Unbelievable, isn't it? Well, it is not true. That's right. It did not happen. What really happened is that a Pentecostal radio station in Kenya was attacked because a program on the station was comparing the Quran to the Bible. One person was killed and the building was set on fire. The eight masked attackers shouted that the radio station had refused to take their calls. Somehow, it does not seem that murder and arson is a proper response to such a slight. You can read the details at http://wwrn.org/article.php?idd=21530.
